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US — Ars Technica

F1 in Texas: The American race that fans love to attend

Policy1 min read

Formula 1 (F1) is back in the United States for its yearly race at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. The article says this track is now one of the most popular stops on the F1 calendar.

F1 returns to Austin

F1 held its US Grand Prix at COTA in Austin, Texas. The writer, from the tech site Ars Technica, went to the race. Audi paid for the trip, but the article says Ars does not accept paid editorial content, so the coverage is still independent.

Key facts

  • The US has three F1 races: Miami, Las Vegas, and Austin.
  • Miami and Las Vegas use temporary street circuits. COTA is a permanent track.
  • The writer first attended the US Grand Prix in 2012.
  • The Lone Star Le Mans races, held in September, also draw racing crowds to COTA.

A track with a history

F1 once risked dropping Austin from its calendar because fans seemed uninterested. Today, the article says, the track is popular, and the real fans mostly go to Austin instead of the other US races. The track was designed by motorcycle racer Kevin Schwanz. Herman Tilke's company only built the buildings and infrastructure, not the track itself. The track has wide run-off areas instead of concrete walls, and it mixes fast corners, tricky turn sequences, heavy braking, and big changes in height.

Why it matters

The story shows that a race can grow from a near-failure into a fan favorite. COTA has also changed into more than a racetrack. It now has hospitality buildings, a cable car, and rides and rollercoasters, so it works as a theme park and concert venue too. This mix may help the track stay busy outside race weekends.

What to watch

  • Whether COTA keeps its place on the F1 calendar in future years.
  • How COTA's plan to mix racing, theme park rides, and concerts grows.
  • Whether fan interest in Austin stays strong compared with Miami and Las Vegas.

Glossary

Circuit of the Americas
A permanent race track in Austin, Texas, where F1 and other racing series hold events.
Formula 1
The top international car racing series, with teams racing around the world.
Ars
Ars Technica, a tech news website. The article's writer works for it.
Herman Tilke
A German race track designer whose company built the buildings and infrastructure at COTA, but not the track layout.

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